Category: Gift Guides

Some people outside of the blogosphere have been shocked with the ease that I seem to have about sharing contacts, products, and tips with other bloggers. “Isn’t it competitive?” they ask. What I love about blogging is that I feel it is anything but. I can follow as many girls as I want, and with so much style inspo, why wouldn’t I? This is also great for the brands that I work with, because if I support them, and so do my blogger friends, everyone gets exposure and everyone wins!

I’ve never been someone who likes competition (outside of board games and seeing who can run the fastest). I never played sports, I shy away from conflict, and I don’t really like being compared to other people. What is so great about blogging is that the only person pushing you to enhance your content and strive to make it better is yourself. It is 100% based on what I love and my love of sharing it with you.

That is why today I wanted to share some of the ladies that I love to follow, because if you aren’t reading along with them already, you are missing some great beauty tips and outfit posts! These ladies are all New York bloggers like me. And I am lucky enough to know a lot of them. They each bring something unique to the table. Shira of A Sequin Love Affair is a modesty blogger, for example. Lisa Rosado does a ton of cool style profiles on local talent, and Kathy of Le Vintage Dress showcases a tastefully curated collection of image inspiration. We are all so different, and that is what is so great about the community! Love you ladies!

Sorry for my mini-hiatus at the tail-end of last week. After sleeping ~3 hours a night through Fashion Week, when my friend Tara arrived to celebrate my birthday with me this past weekend we spent the first two days eating and napping on rotation. And honestly, it was so needed. Between running from Uptown to Downtown and back again in stilettos and attempting to be less than ten minutes late for a seemingly endless stream of events, I end up on auto-pilot and I think I only snapped out of it….five minutes before I wrote this post.

If you follow lots of bloggers, you know we all go on about how Fashion Week is an exciting and spectacular mess of events that leaves us all with exhaustion and a hangover, but to really get the play-by-play I love reading the in-depth accounts the Hallie posts over on Corals + Cognacs. There is not a more hilarious way of reading how a typical Fashion Week day goes down, and you’ll really feel like you are there! As for myself, the days all meld together, and I should really take notes next time!

On a typical day, I wake up early assuming that I will have enough time to get ready AND take the bus (I am such an optimist). Then I decide last minute to change everything about what I thought I wanted to wear. By the time I try to hail a cab (since there’s no time for the bus), I am running up and down the streets in heels yelling at all the 9 to 5ers trying to grab cabs downtown. As a last minute stroke of genius, I order an Uber and pace nervously on the sidewalk awaiting its arrival.

When I finally hit the west side, I make a pit-stop at where ever the beauty bar is that day and have them fix my hair. I am terrible at doing my own hair, and could not survive fashion week without these cosmological angels. After touching up my lips gloss, I run either to backstage or my seat at whatever show it is that I am already late for.

Of course the next shows are at some lofty industrial space that is nowhere near Lincoln Center and I have three minutes less to get there than Hopstop is telling me it will take me. Photographers are snapping photos everywhere, but at this point I am so frazzled I know there is no way I am looking high-fashion. CHeck out mow my boots are untied in the below photo.

After the next show, obviously I have to head back to Lincoln Center. (I don’t know who plans it this way, but it is so crazy.) By the time the shows are over, I realize all I have had to eat are the mini-cupcakes at the beauty bar and I binge on something I would NEVER eat any other time of year and head to the after-party of the evening.

It is always at some hotel of note, The Empire, The Andaz, The Highline Hotel, The Row, take your pick. There’s an open bar and tons of beautiful people, and I can never decide if I should stay and de-stress with some drinks or fall face-first in my pillow before getting up to do it all over again. And it’s awesome. I mean the wardrobe inspo is just endless, and everyone is inspiring to talk to, plus there’s practically all kinds of cool samples and free crap practically being thrown at you. I feel so blessed to be among the handful of people thrown into this madness each year, but I am also okay with the fact that I am not doing it again in London right now. Maybe next time, right?

Leather has been such a big trend for the past few seasons, and I don’t see it leaving this fall. I love the chic and tailored look of leather, and come the cooler weather I love incorporating it in subtle ways in my wardrobe. Leather panels and details are so versatile and can transition so easily from edgy to classy in the same look. I pulled together some pieces on my wish list, what’s on yours?

Foster Grant threw their 85th birthday bash at the Gansevoort Pake Avenue last week and it was a blast! I was there to interview Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham for Joonbug. (You can check out the piece here.)

Kat is the new face of the “Who’s That Behind Those Foster Grants?” campaign. She was such a sweetheart, and I loved swapping style tips with her over Foster Grant’s newest collection. From aviators to mega glam shades, there is something for everyone at Foster Grant! Kat and I agreed that one of the coolest things about the brand is that their amazing variety! At such an accessible price point, they are accessible to everyone as well!Kat dished that she is inspired by the 90’s, and loves dressing with a vintage edge. I loved that, as you guys know that I am a huge fan of vintage shopping! The Foster Grant line has pieces that felt vintage, with cat-eye and thick frames, as well as sunnies that were a bit more modern.

Some of my fave bloggers were in attendance, particularly Jessie of Style and Pepper and Arielle of Something Navy. We all posed for photos and sipped champagne to celebrate the occasion. Jessie and Arielle are such dolls! I can’t explain to you guys how kind and supportive bloggers are within the community. If you ever see your favorite blogger on the street or at an event, don’t be too shy to say “Hi!” We love talking to girls who love fashion as much as we do!

All in all, the Foster Grant party was full of the New York glamor that makes me love working in this city more and more every day! A fancy pair of sunglasses is the perfect accessory to emphasize mysterious city style! I’ll be sure to showcase my favorite Foster Grant glasses soon on the blog…but in the meantime, here are some party photos!

You guys know I love patterns! Nothing catches my eye more than a great print! From florals to geometric designs, patterns add so much dimension to a look! Plus I love matching solid accessories with a boldly-patterned piece. Nordstrom is having a serious sale right now, so I thought it would be fun to gather up my fave patterned picks for under $50! Update your closet by shopping my picks below!